


Love Is A Waltz

by lokesurie



Series: Reguri Week 2020 [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Best Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, tags to come as i update, wouldn't want to spoil you guys ;)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26668213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokesurie/pseuds/lokesurie
Summary: “So, it’s settled then.” Blue says, a wide smile on his face, his brows arched in determination.Blue’s entire posture screams excitement and pride. Red likes seeing him like this.“I quit my job at the gym, you quit your monk life,” Blue continues, “or whatever you’re doing here in this frozen wasteland. We travel the world; we win every championship.” Blue’s beaming, now. “We become the greatest battle legends! We-“, Blue looks at Red, elated, “literally conquer the world!”-Or Red's in love with Blue, and there's a chance Blue might be in love with Red, too.
Relationships: Ookido Green | Blue Oak/Red
Series: Reguri Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934080
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	Love Is A Waltz

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO MY DUDES I COME BEARING EXCITING NEWS TODAY  
> The wonderful Lili Walt (@liliwalt on twitter PLEASE GO CHECK HER ART AND GIVE IT ALL THE LOVE YOUR BODY CONTAINS THIS IS AN ORDER) contacted me for a collab, CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE IT??  
> This is her story. She wanted to make a doujin but time wasn't on her side, so she decided to make an illustrated fanfic instead. I'm the lucky bitch that gets to write it!  
> I really hope you guys will like it, I'm so so so happy to be part of this and I can only hope to do justice to what she had in mind !  
> So yes, she drew the mindblowing art, came up with the plot of the fic, and EVEN WROTE THE DIALOGUE FOR THIS FIRST CHAPTER. Phew, she's amazing.  
> It's also Reguri Week! Wow! The prompt for Day 2 was Winter/Summer Day and we thought this project went well with it, so here's our contribution for Day 2! (idc if i'm late time isn't real)  
> Please make sure to go there : https://twitter.com/liliwalt. That's Lili's twitter, go check it out !  
> Feedback is also highly appreciated <3  
> Okay now I'll stop talking, enjoy!

Most days, Red doesn’t know how he feels about Mount Silver.

He remembers the harsh first nights he spent here, the way his fingers would grow numb with the cold, the way his eyes, forced shut by frozen tears, would sometimes not open. He recalls how, despite everything, the lack of human presence – something he had specifically ran away from - had occasionally overwhelmed him. Mount Silver would always be the tangible fabric of Red’s suffering.  
  
But Red doesn’t hate Mount Silver. Far from it, actually.  
  
There was pain and there was sorrow, that much was true. But there was joy, too. There was bliss, there was solace, there was healing. There was comfort and laughter that wouldn’t have felt the same in another place than this cave – Charizard engulfing him in a hug with his wings wouldn’t have as heartwarming elsewhere, he couldn’t have tobogganed with Lapras if it hadn’t been for the mountain’s snowy slides, screaming with Pikachu from the top of his lungs wouldn’t have felt as liberating in any other place.  
  
And there was Blue.

Blue, who had found him again. Blue, who had refused to give up on him. Blue, who would brave storms and avalanches to ensure Red’s safety. Blue, who provided him with warmth – a warmth supplied both by the necessities Blue had dragged with him (it included the winter clothes he insisted on Red wearing, such as the coat he was currently wearing - and secretly enjoying), and by his presence, too. Blue, who kept being his friend despite everything.  
  
All the moments Red spent with Blue on Mount Silver were cherished treasures he would never let go of. They’re what makes it surprisingly hard for Red to badmouth his frozen home, especially on days like this.  
  
Blue surprised Red with another visit today – he’s been showing up more frequently, a fact that certainly intrigued Red but pleased him nonetheless.  
  
Red had lost track of time passing a long time ago: on Mount Silver, seconds, minutes, hours, days, seasons would blur and lose their meaning, for the place was stilled in an ethereal snowy juncture. It was only thanks to Blue and his little tokens of attention that Red didn’t lose his grip on reality.  
  
For example, Blue would always arrive in the morning, no matter how long he ended up staying with Red. That was how Red could tell it was the afternoon – Blue had brought a lunch they had eaten in the cave, and they were now lounging in a secluded snowfield – their secret spot – watching shy snowflakes making their descent into the wide pits of the mountain, sometimes lazily falling onto the young petals of the blooming flowers that were scattered around the field despite the cold.  
  
It all felt very warm, pleasant, safe : the harsh wind had settled down, making the ambient temperature more than agreeable; he was wrapped up in his coat, a hot piping mug – Blue’s courtesy - in his hand; the clouds, assembled in a sort of thick barrier, looked like they were shielding them; and most importantly, he was basking in Blue’s affable aura, listening to his enthusiastic words.  
  


  
  


“So, it’s settled then.” Blue says, a wide smile on his face, his brows arched in determination.  
  
Blue’s entire posture screams excitement and pride. Red likes seeing him like this.  
  
“I quit my job at the gym, you quit your monk life,” Blue continues, “or whatever you’re doing here in this frozen wasteland. We travel the world; we win every championship.” Blue’s beaming, now. “We become the greatest battle legends! We-“, Blue looks at Red, elated, “literally conquer the world!”

Blue chuckles, looking almost high in his hopes, dreams and ambitions. Red feels an ache at this sight – but still laughs in silence

“What, you don’t believe me?” Blue’s assessing Red. “I see the doubt on your face. You don’t think I can make you leave this place, do you?”  
  
Red looks down, frowning. Mount Silver grew to be his home, his safe haven. But it’s also Blue’s continuous presence that made it more bearable to him. Blue would probably the only one able to make him leave, if he really wanted to.  
  
There’s a silent pause, in which Red loses himself in his thoughts, and in which Blue scrutinizes Red, softly humming.  
  
“You like your drink?” Blue suddenly asks. “Wanna know the secret ingredient?”  
  
Red looks up, taking notice of Blue’s playful grin. He arches an amused eyebrow in response.  
  
For a moment, Blue says nothing.  
  
Then.

“Drugs.” He says, his eyes widening, his stance dramatic.  
  
Red musters all the self-control he can to not choke on his drink – it’s a close call. He looks at Blue, alarmed.  
  
“Once it kicks in, I’m dragging your limp ass down this mountain.” Blue says, his lips tugged in a mischievous smirk – the same smirk he arbored in their childhood whenever he was about to prank Red.  
  
That’s how Red realizes Blue’s only joking. Blue’s a playful guy, who’s also very caring. And he’s his best friend. Of course he wouldn’t drug him. He definitely wouldn’t.  
  
Blue looks jubilant and Red feels incredibly happy to be there with him. Perhaps that’s why he can’t help the little laugh that escapes him.  
  
He can’t bring himself to regret it, though. Not when Blue’s looking back at him with such a fond look.  
  
Blue chuckles, then settles his gaze on the blurred skyline. His face grows serious – a quite rare sight; he’d seen Blue laughing, crying, screaming, but never this pensive.  
  
“No, for real,” Blue finally says, “I know you love sweet things, and I thought, you know what goes hand in hand?” Blue’s looking at him again, an earnest grin matching his sparkling eyes. “Snow and hot cocoa!”  
  
Then he mumbles something, suddenly studying his feet, looking quite uncomfortable. Red’s pretty sure he heard “Just something to warm you up.”  
  
 _‘He’s adorable’_ , Red thinks.

“Thank you.” Red smiles.  
  
It felt important to say it. Blue gawks at Red in a sudden motion, gaping.  
  
“I appreciate it.” Red continues.  
  
“Ah!” Blue exclaims, delighted. “I made you talk.”  
  
Blue snickers when he sees Red’s deathly expression.  
  
“Don’t be mad!” He chuckles. “I’m flattered, really.”  
  
Red doesn’t even have the time to munch on what Blue just said before his friend starts talking again.  
  
“By the way, your mother came to my gym the other day.”  
  
He feels a sudden twinge of guilt at the mention of his mother.  
  
“She bought a bunch of clothes and food. It’s all in your grotto.”  
  
He remains silent.  
  
“She often calls for news since I’m pretty much the only one capable of finding you. And when she visited, she asked what you were doing up here.”  
  
Red looks down and inspects the little flowers germinating at his feet. He’s not even sure he has an answer.  
  
“Your mother doesn’t understand why you dropped contact with everyone or why you’re hiding. At the time, I didn’t know how to respond so I brushed it off.”  
  
He keeps his eyes on the flowers.  
  
“Whatever.” Blue says after a small pause. “I get it.”  
  
Red looks up.  
  
“I know exactly why you’re here. It suits you.” His friend smiles, albeit a bit bitterly. “Only the toughest trainers can climb this mountain, with all the strong Pokémon roaming and the harsh environment. Some people never come back.”  
  
Blue had a point. Mount Silver was a dangerous place. That was precisely why Red had picked it.  
  
“And,” the redhead continues, “once you get used to this place, you start to notice the silence.”  
  
He’s absentmindedly taping his fingers his mug while he speaks.  
  
“It’s so peaceful here.” He almost whispers, then looks up at the thick clouds. “So quiet.”  
  
Red still remains silent.  
  
“No crowds, no journalist, no notifications, no one to bother you.” He says quietly.  
  
Then, he looks straight into Red eyes, his expression even more serious than it was previously. Red doesn’t know if he likes it.  
  
“Am I right?” He asks.  
  
Red doesn’t know. Mount Silver is a confusing place. He doesn’t know how he feels about it, and he doesn’t know if he ever will. It’s his safe purgatory.  
  
“You can’t escape forever, Red.” Blue eventually says, his eyes softer. “There is so much more to see down there. So much more to do than hide. There’s a whole world waiting for you.” He gives Red a tentative smile. “So, I decided. If I have to hike this mountain a hundred times for you to come back down with me, then so be it.”  
  
Red doesn’t think he could name all the emotions currently twisting in his stomach. But he thinks there’s confusion in there.  
  
“Why are you giving yourself all that trouble?” Red wonders out lout. “I mean, I appreciate it, but why?”  
  
Blue places down his now empty mug onto the snow, bringing his right leg closer to his chest to get it folded like his left one. He then puts his gloved palms on his knees to get up in a quick but soundless motion. He starts stretching, making his shoulders and neck roll and his fingers crack, then finally turns his torso towards Red, who’s watching him, enthralled.  
  
It’s the sound of the redhead’s voice that makes him focus back on his friend’s grinning face.  
  
“Why, you say?”  
  
He crosses his arms.  
  
“Well, it’s my way of thanking you.”  
  
Thanking him? Red doesn’t understand. If there was someone to thank for, it would definitely be Blue.  
  
“You made me realize…” He starts to say, then pauses. Then uncrosses his arm, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets, and averts his gaze to his boots. Blue hums, then sighs. “Ah!” He finally exclaims. “Damn my pride!”  
  
Red, in his confusion, stares at his former rival in bewilderment. The young Oak’s still not looking at him.  
  
“When you beat me and became the champion, it pissed me of so much.”  
  
That much was true. In his lone moments on the mountain, when existential dread and anguish would overtake his brain, he would, off and on, remember some acrid words Blue had sometimes uttered to him, back when their friendship still felt strained.  
  
“I was furious and… jealous. I didn’t understand why it happened.”  
  
He bounces on his feet, his voice defeated but his posture nervous, then briefly glimpses back at Red, eyes sour.

“How could you be better than me at something I worked so hard to achieve?”  
  
He knows this is not a question he’s meant to answer – and in a way, he’s glad of that, because he doesn’t think he could come up with one.  
  
“But the truth is, I was so focused on proving I was the best that I became selfish and entitled. I thought I was such a big shot, and it blinded me.”  
  
Blue’s still looking at the horizon. Red remains silent.  
  
“And well.” He goes on. “Let’s just say you were a huge wake up call for me.”  
  
Blue’s thoughtful eyes find Red’s astonished ones.  
  
“I kept asking myself, what could I have done better?” He explains, staring intently at his friend. “I realised what you have that I lacked is kindness and empathy.”  
  
Red wants to object. Any possible grievance he wants to voice remain stuck at the back of throat though, for Blue has come to him in quick steps, offering a hand Red can’t refuse.  
  
He barely has time to let go of his mug when Blue helps him get up and he suddenly finds himself caught in a tight embrace.  
  
The redhead’s grip is solid on him, and Red feels a pool of heat on his cheeks. He hopes the throbbing of his ribcage isn’t strong enough for Blue to feel it – he knows it’s vain though, his heart is _racing_. His fast pulse rings loud in his ears, but he thinks he still hears Eevee chirping in the distance.  
  
“Blue?” He inquires in disbelief, almost rendered limp in his friend’s arms.  
  
“You changed my view on the world and you changed me. You made me realise what’s important, and for that, thank you.” He feels the vibrations of Blue’s voice against the crook of his neck.  
  
Red closes his eyes, feeling a surge of emotions overtake him, and brings his arms around his best friend’s back – reciprocating the hug; feeling overwhelmed by how much he cares for him, and how much the redhead seems to care back.  
  
“You truly saved me back then!” Blue laughs wholeheartedly, but there’s no mistaking in the feeble wavering of his voice.  
  
Red’s heart is beating so fast that he’s afraid it’ll stop. There’s no way the gym leader hasn’t noticed. He doesn’t say anything about it, though, and just softly detaches himself from Red to lay his gloved hands onto Red’s shoulders. His eyes seem to shine – they’re quite mesmerizing from this close – and Red feels so many things he wishes he could name, but all he can do is stand, stunned and dazed, facing the man he cares so much for, the strong feel of his arms around him still vivid in his mind.  
  
He wishes he could put his hand over his chest, to ensure his heart wouldn’t burst out of it, but Blue’s still holding him firmly.  
  
“And so now,” he smiles – and Red feels his breath hitch, “it’s my turn to save you.”  
  
‘You already saved me.’ Red thinks, and he can’t help himself from cupping Blue’s cheeks, overpowered by the feelings of tenderness, fondness, _love_ colliding with each other in a passionate mayhem within him, all of that for this man who had done so much for him.  
  
He lets his gaze wander down Blue’s lips, then wordlessly looks up, asking for a silent permission, a permission Blue seems to give by closing his eyes, his cheeks and nose slightly flushed. Their noses brush, and Red leans closer, right until their breaths mingle.  
  
  
  
His eyelids are half-closed, but he still sees Blue humidifying his mouth, then –  
  
“Eevee!”  
  
They both abruptly let go of each other, faces crimson.  
  
Eevee comes to them, excitedly trotting in the snow, Pikachu lazily following her trail – looking quite bored.  
  
Blue nervously laughs, catching Eevee who jumps into his arms, and Red looks at Charizard and Pidgeot who just arrived and seemed to be having a silent conversation.  
  
The redhead, petting the fluffy fox, clears his throat. His cheeks are still ablaze with a seemingly inner fire when he speaks again.  
  
“So anyway. You’re coming down with me. I don’t care if it’s today, tomorrow, in a week, or in a year. But you are. I’ll make sure of it.”  
  
For a moment, all they do is stare at each other, perhaps both remembering what almost happened. Red thinks for a minute, then smiles, decided.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
He had a goal now.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on tumblr! i'm ginkght and lokesurie


End file.
